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California
Wine Varietals White
Wine Varieties Chardonnay
[shar-dn-AY] is the most popular premium
white wine varietal produced in California.
Chardonnay is high in extract (the parts of the
grape used in making the wine), versatile, can be
grown in a variety of conditions and can take on a
variety of characteristics. Chardonnay is often
described as buttery, nutty, creamy or toasty and
can take on flavors that include apple, pear,
tropical fruits, butterscotch, honey or lemon.
Because of the high acids when picked early, it is
a very popular grape in the production of sparkling
wines. Chardonnay goes particularly well with
seafood (particularly swordfish and lobster), pasta
with cream sauces and seafood salads. Chenin Blanc
[SHEN-in BLAHNK] is a common, highly acidic
wine that is used both as a dominant variety and
for blending. Chenin Blanc wines exhibit delicate
floral aromas and flavors of melon. Although
sometimes produced in a dry style, most Chenin
Blanc wines are semi-sweet to semi-dry in style.
These wines go well with light cheeses on a summer
afternoon and can pair well with light appetizers,
salads, delicate fish and chicken. Fume Blanc - See Sauvignon Blanc Gewurtztraminer
[geh-VEHRTZ-trah-mee-ner] is a white wine
grape that produces highly fragrant wines known for
their crisp, spicy characteristics (Gewurz is the
German word for "spice") with aromas of rose
petals, peaches, nutmeg, allspice and sometimes
tropical fruit. These wines generally take on a
peach-colored or gold hue and are most often sold
in brown-colored, slender Rhine bottles.
Gewurtztraminer wines are available in various
levels of sweetness, from dry to medium-sweet and
late-harvest and should be consumed while young.
The spicy flavors make this an ideal wine for spicy
foods such as Asian cuisine or curried
dishes. Marsanne [mahr-SAN] is a dominant
Rhone varietal (along with Rousanne and Viognier)
that is usually blended with Rousanne. Marsanne
wines tend to be light and fruity with a perfume
fragrance. Most wines identified as "White
Hermitage" are made with Marsanne. Muscat Canelli
[MUHS-kat ka-NEH-lee] is a flowery dessert
wine with concentrated aromas and flavors of
peaches and apricots. These wines are produced in a
variety of styles from light and dry to very sweet
and are also produced as sparkling wines. Muscat
Canelli is great with fresh fruits and
desserts&emdash;try it served over a scoop of
vanilla ice cream. Pinot Blanc [PEE-noh-BLAHNK], a
white relative of the Pinot Noir grape. They
produce fruity, dry wines similar to Chardonnay but
less flavorful and complex. Because of the clean,
brisk and almost neutral flavors of the wines, it
is well-suited as a component of better sparkling
wines. Riesling
[REES-ling], also known as Johannisberg
Riesling, is generally considered to be one of the
great wine grapes of the world. Riesling wines are
considered complex, yet delicate, and can be
vinified from dry to very sweet. These light,
fruity wines often exhibit apricot and peach
flavors and a flowery bouquet. This is the perfect
wine for a light picnic or sipping on a summer
afternoon, and goes well with chicken, pork, fish,
salads and most lighter foods. Rousanne [roo-SAHN] is one of
three grapes (along with Viognier and Marsanne)
associated with France's Rhone region. They produce
wines that are delicate with perfume aromas and is
most often blended in small amounts with the other
two Rhone whites. Sauvignon Blanc
[SOH-vin-yohn BLAHNK], also known as Fume
Blanc, is California's second most popular white
wine grape. The wine is crisp with grassy, green
pepper and herbal flavors and should generally be
consumed while young. Wines marketed as Fume Blanc
are often oakier in style. Sauvignon Blanc pairs
well with chicken, fish, shellfish, soups, pasta
with red sauces, sushi and light salads. Semillon
[seh-mee-YOHN] by itself turns out wines of
average quality and neutral flavor, but is often
found blended with Sauvignon Blanc to produce
excellent, complex wines. Semillon tends to soften
the grassy taste of Sauvignon Blanc while the
Sauvignon Blanc offers the desired acidity and
aromas to the blend. Semillon is also found blended
with Chardonnay in wines that exhibit a somewhat
"toasty" character. Viognier
[vee-oh-NYAY], a somewhat rare white-wine
grape due to its low yield, is enjoying an
increasing popularity in California. Viognier is a
dry, intensely-flavored, aromatic wine that
exhibits somewhat floral qualities and aromas of
apricots, peaches, melons and pears. Serve with
chicken, veal, roast, turkey and pasta with cream
sauces. Red
Wine Varieties Barbera [bar-BEH-rah] is mostly
used as a blending wine because of it's high
acidity and high productivity. A premium Barbera
wine may exhibit currant flavors and notes of
smoke. It is the major component of the Central
Valley's jug wines. Cabernet Franc
[ka-behr-NAY FRAHNK] has traditionally been
used as a blending wine with Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot, however is now produced as the dominant
variety by many wineries. Like Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc often exhibits flavors of black
cherry, currant and berries but is less acidic and
lighter bodied. This is a good wine to be served
with grilled meats, steaks and aged yellow
cheeses. Cabernet Sauvignon
[ka-behr-NAY soh-vihn-YOHN] is, without
argument, the most heralded and popular of
California's red-wine grapes. The intense flavor,
complexity, and longevity (making this an ideal
collector's wine) attribute to the wine's
popularity. Cabernet Sauvignon's flavors are often
described as black cherry, black currant and
blackberry and often exhibit nuances of bell
pepper, oak, cedar and mint. Although more
California wines are made with 100% Cabernet
Sauvignon grapes, it is also commonly blended in
Bordeaux-style wines. Cabernet is well suited with
heavy, robust foods where the wine won't overpower
the flavors, such as grilled meats, game meats and
also aged cheeses. The classic pairing is with
steaks and prime rib but this wine is rich enough
to serve with chocolate desserts. Carignane [kah-ree-NYAHN] is the
most widely grown grape in France, and was once in
California, but is rarely produced as a varietal in
California. It is a high-yield grape that produces
more red wine than any other grape variety and is
most often used in blending. It produces wines that
are high in tannins and alcohol, with fruity and
spicy flavors. Grenache [gruh-NAHSH] is one of
the world's most cultivated red grapes. Grenache
wines tend to be sweet, fruity and low in tannins,
although it is rarely produced as a varietal. Merlot
[mer-LOH] was historically used as a grape
to be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet
Franc for Bordeaux-style wines. Since the 1970's it
has become increasingly popular as a varietal wine.
Merlot (actually Merlot Noir) grapes have higher
sugar levels and lower tannins than Cabernet
Sauvignon, thus a slightly higher alcohol content
and lesser longevity. Premium Merlot wines are
medium to dark red and have the fruity flavors of
cherry, currant, black pepper, licorice, black
olives, and nuances of vanilla. This is a good wine
with rich and slightly sweet foods such as duck,
pork, lamb, chicken and beef, and pasta with meat
sauce. Mourvedre [moor-HEH-druh] is a
Rhone varietal red wine grape that produces hard,
tannic wines with spicy and peppery
characteristics. Much of what is grown in
California is used in Rhone red blends. Nebbiolo
[neh-b'YOH-loh] is considered as one of the
great Italian varietals producing rich,
full-bodied, "chewy" wines, high in alcohol and
tannins. The aromas and flavors of these wines
suggest chocolate, licorice, raspberry and violets.
Nebbiolo is not widely grown in
California. Petite Sirah
[peh-TEET sih-RAH] grapes are actually not
related to the Syrah variety. These robust wines
exhibit deep color, are peppery and tannic, and
generally age well. Because of these properties,
they are often used for blending. Petit Verdot
[puh-TEE vehr-DOH] is a high-quality
red wine grape from the Bourdeaux region of France.
Petit Verdot produces full-bodied, deep colored
wines with peppery characteristics and tend to be
high in tannins and alcohol. It is mostly used to
add color, flavor and tannins to Bordeaux
blends. Pinot Noir
[PEE-noh-NWAHR] is the red grape of
France's Burgundy region that is known for vast
variations in both taste and quality. When young,
Pinot Noir wines exhibit flavors of cherries,
strawberries, raspberries and plums and aromas of
rose petals. When aged, these wines gain complexity
and exhibit characteristics of chocolate, prunes,
figs and smoky flavors. Pinot Noir is also used
extensively in the production of sparkling wines.
This wine is a good complement to lamb, pork and
poultry dishes. Sangiovese [san-joh-VAY-zeh]
originated in Italy's Tuscany region and is the
major grape found in Chianti wines. The wines are
generally high in acids and tannins and low in
fruit flavors and often exhibit an earthy
quality. Syrah
[sih-RAH], is the red grape varietal from
France's Rhone region. Once considered a blending
grape because of it's complexity, Syrah been
increasingly planted in California over the past
several years and is now widely produced as a
premium varietal. Syrah wines are deep colored,
spicy and tannic with aromas and flavors of plums,
currants, black pepper and berries. The wine tends
to be drier, spicier and less fruity than
Zinfandel. The deep flavors of Syrah make it an
ideal accompanyment to beef, game meats and even
hamburgers. Tempranillo
[tem-prah-NEE-yoh] is a Spanish varietal
that often produces wines with characteristics of
strawberry, tobacco and spice, and because of it's
low acid, is most often used for
blending. Zinfandel
[ZIHN-fuhn-dehl] grapes were initially
brought to California in the 1850's and, although
rare outside the U.S., is now California's most
extensively planted red-wine grape. This is a very
versatile grape and is vinified in many styles. In
it's red form, a premium Zinfandel often exhibits
intense berry and peppery flavors, is rich in
tannins, and may rival Cabernet Sauvignon in depth
and complexity. In its "white" form, White
Zinfandel is light and fruity with a light to
medium "blush" color and is also used as a base for
sparkling wines. Also gaining popularity are the
Late Harvest and Port-style Zinfandels. Red
Zinfandel is a perfect wine for hearty, spicy foods
such as grilled red meats, ribs, pizza, and foods
with rich tomato sauces. Non-Varietal
and Blended Wines Blush WIne is an American generic term
given to wines that are light pink to light apricot
in color. The wines are generally produced from red
grapes in which the skins are removed from the
juice soon after pressing. Longer skin contact will
produce a darker color and more tannins. Bordeaux Blend
[bohr-DOH] is a term used for wines blended
from two or more of the traditional Bordeaux grape
varieties. The most common red Bordeaux varieties
include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot,
Petite Verdot and Malbec. White Bordeaux varieties
include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle.
Meritage wines typically contain less than 75% but
may not contain more than 90% of a single
variety. Chablis [sha-BLEE] is actually
not a varietal at all- it is a growing region in
France. In the U.S. the term Chablis refers to
ordinary white table wines blended from various
grape varieties. These generic wines are usually
light and sweet to semi-sweet. Late Harvest wines are
made from grapes (commonly Riesling) that are
picked toward the end of the harvest when the very
ripe grapes have a high sugar content. Because of
the high sugar content (Brix) they usually make
very sweet, highly alcoholic wines. Late Harvest
Rieslings, which are usually sweet and fruity with
intense flavors of honey, peaches and apricots, are
most often used as dessert wines. Meritage
[MEHR-ih-tihj] is a trademarked name used
to designate wines made with traditional Bordeaux
grape varieties. Vintners may use this term only if
they are members of the Meritage Association,
otherwise wines are sometimes simply referred to as
Bordeaux blends. The most common red Bordeaux
varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec. White
Bordeaux varieties include Sauvignon Blanc,
Semillon and Muscadelle. Meritage wines typically
contain less than 75% but may not contain more than
90% of a single variety. White Zinfandel is not
a varietal in any means- it is made from the (red)
Zinfandel grape and gets it's pale pink (blush)
color by quickly removing the skins from the juice
after the grapes are pressed. White Zinfandels are
usually somewhat sweet but may be produced in a
semi-dry style. These wines often exhibit flavors
of strawberries, raspberries and cherries and may
have a floral bouquet. Because of it's popularity
among novice wine drinkers, many people believe the
Zinfandel grape is white. Editor's note: shame on
all those waiters that have served me "White
Zinfandel" when I ordered "Zinfandel." Fortified
Wines Port is a sweet wine
that is fortified with a neutral grape alcohol that
is added part way through fermentation. The added
alcohol stops fermentation while the wine is still
sweet and increases the alcohol level to 18 to 20
percent. Vintage Ports are generally the
best, as they are made from a single vintage and
can age for up to 50 years years. Tawny
Ports are made from grapes from different years
and can be aged in wood for as long as 40 years.
Ruby Ports, which are generally made from
lower quality batches of wine which are aged for
about two years, is the least expensive. Ports can
be made of several varietal wines including
Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Because of the
sweetness and high alcohol content, Ports are
usually served after a meal. Sherry is a fortified
wine that is made in several styles and can take of
various characteristics. Sherries are often deep
gold to brown in color and are highly aromatic with
flavors described as nutty or raisiny. Sherries are
most often served before or after dinner, with the
dry sherries served chilled and the sweet sherries
served at room temperature. Next in this
series: Choosing
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